By large margins, San Diego County and U.S. residents say Central American caravan members who qualify for asylum should be allowed into the U.S.

In polls conducted by SurveyUSA for the Union-Tribune and 10 News, three-quarters of local residents said qualified asylum-seekers should be allowed entry via normal or expedited processes. Nationally, two-thirds agree.

While less than one-third of respondents see the caravan as a “major threat” (29 percent local, 32 percent national), there is support for the Trump administration’s decision to send troops to the border (50 percent local, 44 percent national).

Moreover, in both polls 59 percent say unauthorized immigration is a “serious problem” for the U.S.

The twin 16-question surveys show that national and local attitudes are generally in sync on immigration and asylum. When the results are broken down by respondents’ political affiliation and age, however, there often are striking differences.

Take, for instance, the question of whether unauthorized immigration is a “serious problem.”

Republicans across the country and in San Diego County hold identical views, with 83 percent in agreement.

A majority of local independents — 53 percent — agree, as do nearly half (47 percent) of local Democrats. Nationally, the figures are higher from independents (60 percent) but lower for Democrats (41 percent).

Older respondents are more apt to see this as a “serious problem” — 77 percent among local residents who are 65 and older, and 71 percent among locals in the 50-64 age bracket. Nationally, the numbers are lower but still represent a majority of older respondents: 66 percent of Americans 65 and older, and 65 percent of those aged 50 to 64.

By contrast, just under half of those aged 18 to 34 see this as a “serious problem” (49 percent among San Diego County respondents, 48 percent of Americans).

Another issue that divides political parties and age ranges: the use of troops on the border. That’s backed by Republicans (79 percent, both nationally and locally), while opposed by Democrats (68 percent nationally and 59 percent locally). Independents’ support ranges from 44 percent nationally to 51 percent locally.

Perhaps the largest splits along party lines involve questions of President Trump’s proposed border wall and the perceived threat posed by the caravan.

Among San Diego County respondents, there was a 60-point gap between Republicans and Democrats favoring the border wall (75 to 15 percent); nationally, the divide is even larger (78 to 15 percent).

Support tends to rise with age — 48 percent among U.S. respondents who are at least 65 years old back the wall. In San Diego County, the wall is most popular with those who are 50-to-64 (52 percent), followed by those 65 and older (50 percent).

The wall is least popular with the youngest group surveyed, 18-to-34. In this group, it’s backed by 32 percent nationally and 28 percent locally.

A majority of Republicans, both locally (58 percent) and nationally (60 percent) see the caravan as a “major threat” to the U.S. Few Democrats agree (13 percent locally and 15 percent nationally), and that is also true for independents (23 percent locally and 30 percent nationally).

While Trump has characterized the caravan as an “invasion” of criminals. advocates have presented this as a group asserting a lawful right to asylum under international treaties. Which view is most accurate?

Most Republicans (64 percent nationally and 52 percent locally) sided with the president. Most Democrats (60 percent nationally and 57 percent locally) backed the advocates’s position. Local independents favored the advocates over the president (31 to 22 percent), a pattern that was echoed more narrowly among independents nationally (26 to 21 percent).

About half of the Republicans surveyed (53 percent nationally and 50 percent locally) believe that unauthorized immigrants commit murder, rape and other serious crimes at higher rates than American citizens. That view is echoed by minorities of Democrats (17 percent nationally and 10 percent locally) and independents (22 percent nationally and 19 percent locally).

What should be done about the caravan members, most encamped in Tijuana while U.S. authorities review their asylum petitions? Most Republicans (60 percent nationally and 65 percent locally) would admit qualified asylum-seekers. That’s also true of Democrats (73 percent nationally and 85 percent locally) and independents (70 percent nationally and 77 percent locally).

Still, larger divisions are seen when Republicans, Democrats and independents are asked about how many of these asylum-seekers meet the requirement of having “’a specific and credible fear that they will come to harm in their home country.”

Among Republicans surveyed across the country, 12 percent estimated “almost all” fit that description. For local Republicans, the figure was 13 percent.

Most Republicans — 58 percent nationally and 50 percent locally — recommend expelling them to their home countries while awaiting decisions by U.S. authorities. Most Democrats — 66 percent nationally and 61 percent locally — urge Mexico to shelter them.

Independents are more evenly divided: 40 percent of those surveyed across the country and 43 percent of locals advocate that Mexico provide shelters, while 35 percent of U.S. independents and 30 percent of locals are in favor of expulsion.

The national survey of 1,000 respondents took place Dec. 2 and 3. Answers are considered accurate within a range of plus or minus 4.3 percentage points.

The local survey of 500 respondents occurred Dec. 1 through Dec. 3. Answers are considered accurate within a range of plus or minus 5.5 percentage points.